Heavy
by ChaoticDiamond
Summary: Loki/OC pairing; before the events of the movie "Thor." The realm of Alfheim is at war with the Dark Elves. The young princess, Anira, a Light Elf, seeks refuge within Asgard. She meets the God of Mischief, who is immediately curious about the young maiden. As her health declines and her home crumbles, Anira must choose between her dying race and the man who intrigues her.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Loki, Thor, or any other Marvel characters mentioned. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, own Anira and any other OC characters that are mentioned. I also do own this particular plot line. Any resemblance to other work is entirely coincidental and is not plagiarism. I will also note that all of the Elvish names and words are taken from the Elvish languages that Tolkien created.

**Chapter One**

The palace doors were pushed open with haste and urgency, drawing the attention of all who lingered within the vicinity. A determined knight, with long, pointed ears and a slightly worn expression, marched towards the throne of the All-Father, ignoring all who protested and tried to stop him. Trailing behind him, a group of six knights were escorting a young maiden. Both of her arms were in a gentle, but forceful, grip as they hurriedly followed the man.

Two guards of Asgard rushed forward to stop the lead intruder, but were quickly shoved away as the man continued his trek towards the All-Father. His eyes never once left the King, who sat patiently, with a stoic expression, at his throne. Stopping a mere ten feet from the throne, the knight finally spoke. "Forgive my intrusion, All-Father, but I request to speak with you." The man quickly kneeled before the All-Father and bowed his head out of respect.

Loki glanced between the kneeling knight and his father before finally glancing at the woman surrounded by the six men. Her face was concealed by a thin, but opaque, light purple veil. Loki could distinguish her dark hair contrasting against pale skin, but all other features were clouded by the veil. Her body was thin and frail, with bones that were prominently poking through her skin; the woman looked as if she were made of the most fragile of glass. The light purple dress she wore was noticeably too big for her. The sleeves drooped off of her shoulders and the waist was not fitted for her body.

"You may speak." Loki's eyes drifted again to his father as his loud voice bellowed from his throat. Odin waved a dismissive hand to the guards who were still trying to stop the uninvited company, before focusing his attention on the kneeling knight.

"All-Father, my name is Beriadan. I am a knight of Alfheim and the personal guard to their Princess, Anira." Beriadan raised his head, an enraged expression beginning to break through the determination. "The Dark Elves have attacked our kingdom. My people do not wish to burden you with the hardships of war, Allfather, but my King Suiadan requests that you allow his only daughter, Princess Anira, refuge within the safety of your kingdom."

Odin's gaze shifted from the knight before him to the frail woman that lingered behind. "Tell me," he shifted his gaze to the knight again. "Why should I allow her to remain here?"

"The Princess is unwell, All-Father. With every passing moment, her strength diminishes. The King's beloved daughter is dying, my Lord, and he wishes to allow her to live her remaining days in a kingdom of peace, rather than witness the genocide of her people." Beriadan stood abruptly, hardening his gaze with the All-Father. "We are not strong enough to fight this battle for much longer. Our people have been ordered to flee, and our armies are to follow in their footsteps when everyone is gone."

"Why does the Princess not flee with her people?" Thor demanded of the knight. "Why have you brought her here? Why do you bring the threat of war to my people?" Beriadan chose to ignore the young prince, and focused his attention solely on the All-Father, which angered the young man. "I demand that you answer my questions!"

"Thor, silence." The All-Father sternly ordered his eldest son. The Prince did not listen, however, and instead marched directly towards the veiled Princess.

The six knights began to tighten their huddle around the Princess, but a wave of her hand stopped them. Weakly, she pushed her guards out of her path and walked forward. "My father has asked little of you these past years, All-Father." Her voice was soft and her manner was timid. She walked slowly, with hands clasped in front of her as if she were nervous. Walking past a fuming Thor, she approached the throne and kneeled beside her standing personal guard. "My death approaches quickly, my Lord. If I am a burden, I will not be one for long."

Odin rose from his throne and walked forward to the kneeling princess. He lowered himself down to her level and slowly lifted the veil covering her face. Beriadan stiffened at the All-Father's actions, but did nothing to stop him. "You do not have to bow to me, my Lady."

Princess Anira lifted her head, revealing her sunken cheeks and the darkened bags underneath her eyes. Her eyes were a dull light blue and her complexion was pallor. Dark auburn hair framed her face and barely brushed against the floor she was still kneeled upon.

"Please," Odin held his hand out for the young maiden, "stand."

Tentatively, the woman placed her hand in the man before her and slowly rose. Beriadan quickly rushed forward to help her, which she accepted without hesitation. "You may reside within my kingdom, Princess Anira."

"Father," Thor bellowed in disbelief, "you would allow a stranger to seek refuge and live among our people?"

"Thor, this woman is no stranger. We will welcome the Princess of Alfheim with welcome arms." Odin motioned for some servants and turned his attention back to the young princess. "Your father has helped my kingdom when we have requested aid; I will return the favor by granting him the aid that he desires."

"Thank you, All-Father. If my father were here, he would not fail to tell you how much he appreciates your kindness."

Odin revealed a small smile and nodded to Princess Anira before commanding the servants to escort her to the guest living quarters. With the aid of her guards, Anira was quickly and carefully led away from the ruler, stopping briefly to pull the veil over her face.

Loki could not stop himself from watching her retreating figure. The sickly woman intrigued him. She may have even been beautiful, had she not looked so famished.

* * *

**A/N:** I must warn you all in advance that Loki will not be nearly as sadistic as he is in _The Avengers_. Remember, this is before the events of_ Thor;_ before he learns of his heritage. I have always imagined Loki to be a bit more playful, yet quiet. He is known for playing tricks, and I plan on highlighting the good within him. I don't believe Loki to be an evil character, I believe every action he makes due to _his_ opinion on what is righteous.

Either way, I just thought I would inform you all that Loki will not be the character you are used to, for at least the first half of the story. Will he be out of character, even considering the fact that this is before his life fell apart? Most likely, and for that I apologize. I am an amateur author who is using this story as a means to improve her writing.

I would also like to note that I had absolutely no idea that Dark Elves were going to appear in _Thor: The Dark World_ until right before I decided to publish this. This was purely accidental and had I known beforehand, I would have used a different villain. However, I have already written a large portion of the story and have completed the general story line. I do not want to scrape my current plans, because in my mind they already work so well. Fortunately, if I decide to continue this story and include _Thor: The Dark World_, I may be able to tie in the events of _Heavy_. Nevertheless, I have not read the comics, and know very little about the Dark Elves, so I apologize for them most likely not being in character.

I welcome you all to leave a critique if you feel the need. I would love to hear your opinions and learn from your criticism. Thank you for reading!

**Published: Thursday, 22 August 2013**

**Word Count: 997**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Loki, Thor, or any other Marvel characters mentioned. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, own Anira and any other OC characters that are mentioned. I also do own this particular plot line. Any resemblance to other work is entirely coincidental and is not plagiarism. I will also note that all of the Elvish names and words are taken from the Elvish languages that Tolkien created.

**Chapter Two**

Princess Anira weakly picked at the food that filled the plate placed in front of her. She was grateful for Odin's hospitality, but was uncomfortable with the strange food she was presented with. There were foods similar to that of her home, yet everything was very different. She was curious about the overabundance of food that was festively arranged around her, but found that the cooked head of an animal staring at her was a bit off-putting.

A small, private feast had been prepared in her honor. The tables were full of the finest meats and the freshest fruits and vegetables. The feast was meant to be a warm welcoming gift for the princess, but it left Anira gloomy and guilty. While her people ran in fear for their lives, she was dining in the safety and comfort of a grand kingdom. How could she have allowed her father to cast her to safety? How could she have selfishly left her people to suffer as their homes were destroyed and their loved ones were slaughtered? She should be with her people, assisting in the evacuation and fighting against the Dark Elves.

"Your Highness?" Anira peaked out from under the hood partially concealing her head and focused her eyes on Thalion, one of the six guards that had escorted her into Asgard. "Are you all right, my Lady?"

She glanced again at the food she had hardly touched before faking a small smile. "Yes, Thalion. I am just exhausted from the trip."

"Would you like to be escorted back to your quarters, my Lady?"

"No, Thalion, it would be a bit rude of me to exit my own feast so early in the evening, would it not?" Thalion gave Anira a wary glance, before he retreated back to his previous position, standing guard for the princess.

Loki discretely observed the exchange between Princess Anira and her guard. The woman already looked exhausted and starving, so why would she not eat? What exactly was wrong with the young princess?

"What are you staring at so intently, brother?" Thor questioned loudly as he leaned towards Loki.

"Nothing that is of your concern, Thor." The younger prince quickly diverted his gaze away from the woman and back to the goblet in his hand, but it was too late. Thor had already noted the direction of his gaze.

"She is quite interesting, is she not?" Thor continued to pester his brother.

"She hardly speaks though." Sif added in.

"Nor does she seem to eat." Volstagg commented before taking another bite of meat.

"I'd say she's a bit more of your type, wouldn't you agree, Hogun?" Fandral teasingly nudged the man standing beside him, which only earned a silent glare in return. Fandral shrugged and turned his attention again to the young princess. "Well, if you won't make a move, I will."

"I hardly think the Princess Anira would want to spend time socializing with you, Fandral." Sif stated with amusement.

"I beg to differ; I believe the Princess would thoroughly enjoy my company." The man replied, revealing a charming smile.

Sif rolled her eyes in response. "She's not some young maiden that is going to undoubtedly fall spell to your charm."

"No, Sif, she is not." Fandral agreed. "She is a young _princess_ that will undoubtedly fall spell to my charm." With that said, he quickly wandered off and towards the elf who continued to stare at the food in front of her.

Loki's eyes followed the confident Fandral as he approached the young princess, only to be stopped by her slightly aggressive guards. A ghost of a smirk crossed Loki's face, while Thor and his friends laughed loudly at the rejected womanizer. The embarrassed man quickly rushed back to his friends, trying, but failing to hold on to his dignity and pride.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or did she not fall spell to your charm?" Thor chuckled as he slammed a hand on Fandral's back.

"Her guards reacted much more quickly than I originally gave them credit for." Fandral waved his hand dismissively and straightened his posture.

"Or the maiden is simply not interested in your company." The blond prince sniggered.

"Why don't you try to sway her then?" Fandral challenged.

"A Prince of Asgard need not try, in order to sway such a fair maiden."

Loki sighed at his brother's cocky nature, but chose not to comment. Glancing at the princess, he noticed that her gaze had wandered to a group of young maidens that were chatting and giggling quietly amongst each other. She looked almost as if she longed to join in the conversation, but did not contain the willpower to do so.

Ignoring the food on her plate, the princess abruptly stood up and began her journey to the large doors. Letting curiosity best him, Loki rushed towards the princess, ignoring the startled reactions of his companions and their short inquisition of where he was off to. "Princess Anira," he called.

She stopped walking, but did not glance back at him.

"Princess Anira," he repeated.

Slowly, the frail maiden turned to focus her attention on the young prince. She raised her gaze to meet that of the man towering over her, and lowered her head once more. Loki's view of the princess was quickly blocked by a guard, who was tightly gripping the handle of the sword attached to his right hip.

"I cannot allow you to come any closer to the Highness Anira, sir." The guard stated.

"I am Loki, a Prince of Asgard." Loki stated, feeling slightly insulted that the guard did not know who he was. "I would like to speak with your Highness, if you would allow."

"I am sorry, Prince Loki, but I cannot allow you approach the princess any closer than you already have." The guard replied, a stern expression overtaking his face.

"Loki, the God of Mischief?" A frail hand gently pushed the guard to the side as the young woman stepped forward to address Loki.

"Yes, my Lady." Revealing a charming smile, the dark-haired prince bowed to the princess before him.

"I have heard of you before, Prince Loki." A small smile crossed her face as she gazed at the man before her. "The Asgardian Prince with all the magic tricks."

"I assure you, Princess, the magic is real."

"But you do not deny your tricks."

Loki smirked before disappearing, stunning the young princess. He appeared behind her and was immediately greeted with six swords drawn and pointed directly at him.

"Your Highness!" The guard who blocked Loki earlier quickly grabbed the young maiden and forced her behind him, drawing and pointing his own sword at Loki in the process.

With six swords positioned dangerously close to his neck, Loki carefully held up his hands. "I do not mean to threaten. I meant no harm to your beloved Princess."

"What is the meaning of this?" Thor demanded as he rushed forward to aid his brother. "How dare you draw your weapons on a Prince of Asgard!"

"I am all right, Thor. These guards are simply following their duty."

"I apologize, my Lord." The soft voice of Princess Anira interrupted. "I will have a stern conversation with my guards and make sure that they do not needlessly draw their weapons again." Quickly, the princess bowed to the blond prince and motioned for her guards to follow suit. "I can assure you that your brother will never again have to fear being threatened by my guards."

Lowering their weapons, the guards hesitantly bowed before they quickly escorted the princess out of the feast. Anira snuck a glance at Loki before exiting through the large doors.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you so much for reading! And a special thank you to those who favorited/subscribed/wrote a review. Please leave a comment if you desire, I would like to hear your feedback, negative or positive. Feel free to follow my tumblr (link is located in my profile) for news and exclusive content.

I would also like to add in that I've made a (somewhat) tiny error. I was doing research and discovered that Alfheim actually does have a ruler that is mentioned in the comics. When I started writing this, I had assumed that Marvel never took time to mention the other worlds, aside from Midguard and Asgard. I was wrong, of course. However, I do not believe that this will be an issue. This _is_ a fanfiction.

Also, I would like to mention that this story is scheduled to be updated every Thursday. I have several chapters already written, but I decided not to release them all at once so I would be able to update this story on a regular basis.

**Published: Thursday, 29 August 2013**

**Word Count: 1,283**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Loki, Thor, or any other Marvel characters mentioned. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, own Anira and any other OC characters that are mentioned. I also do own this particular plot line. Any resemblance to other work is entirely coincidental and is not plagiarism. I will also note that all of the Elvish names and words are taken from the Elvish languages that Tolkien created.

**Chapter Three**

A bored Anira sat in the luxurious bathtub, mindlessly playing with the flower petals that decorated the warm water. The sweet aroma of intermingling soaps and oils flooded the room, and the slight breeze from the open window provided the fresh air the young princess needed to prevent herself from suffocating. She was alone in the room, with the exception of Beriadan, who was standing a considerably polite distance away from the bathing woman. Anira, uncomfortable with the prospect of several strangers seeing her naked body, had requested that the maids were sent away, preferring to bathe privately. Beriadan had stayed behind, insisting that it would be unsafe for the princess to be completely unsupervised and without any form of protection.

"Beriadan," she called softly to the guard.

He glanced at the bathing princess before quickly diverting his attention back to the door. "Yes, Princess Anira?"

"Beriadan, come here." Gripping the edge of the tub, she rested her chin on her hands as she stared at the guard.

"My Lady, it is already improper for me to be here as you bathe. I cannot come closer to you."

"Beriadan, you are my close friend, are you not?"

"My Lady, I am your personal guard, nothing more."

"Beriadan, please look at me." With hesitation, the guard turned his gaze to the bathing princess. "You are my closest friend, Beriadan, my only friend. I trust you; I have always trusted you. Do you understand?"

"It is improper for me to-"

"I don't want to hear it," Anira interrupted, turning her body away from the guard. "I no longer care about what is proper and what is improper. My people are dying, and I will soon follow. I will have no people, and no home to go back to. I am a refugee now, Beriadan. A refugee who is being spoiled rotten simply because I was blessed with royal blood." Tears leaked from her eyes as she tried desperately to prevent sobs from loudly escaping her body.

Beriadan's footsteps echoed through the bathing chamber as he approached Princess Anira. He hesitantly reached a hand towards her shoulder, but quickly opted against the action and instead sat down next to the tub, his back facing the young woman. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "You are my friend, Anira, but I am nothing more than a knight sworn to follow the command of your father. I have no power; I am a mere tool."

"What am I, Beriadan?"

"You are a princess; a princess loved by her kingdom and most importantly by her father."

"Why do I feel so guilty?"

"Guilty?"

Anira turned back to her guard and reached out a hand to turn his face towards her. "Why did my father cast me out?"

The guard's face scrunched up in confusion. "To protect you, of course."

"Why?"

"Your father loves you, Anira."

"I never wanted to abandon my people!"

"You have not abandoned them." Beriadan's hand grasped the one Anira held against his face. "Anira, you have given your people so much hope. You have cared for them and have done your best to resolve their issues. You are a beloved princess and a worthy monarch. I believe in you, Anira. Your people believe in you. You have not abandoned them, nor have they abandoned you."

"I'm scared, Beriadan. I fear for my people, for my home, for myself." The princess sniffled and lowered her gaze. "I do not fear death, but I fear that I may die at the wrong time."

"There's still time."

"Time for what?"

"For you to live, maybe even reverse what has been done."

Anira laughed bitterly at that comment. "You've been waiting for a miracle cure for much too long, my friend. My body cannot fix what has been done."

"Perhaps the healers in Asgard will be able to help you."

"They cannot fix this." Anira smiled at her dear friend. The knight sworn to protect her; a childhood friend who had always served the royal family. She examined his long ash-blond hair and focused on his hazel eyes that peered deeply into her own. "I think I could have loved you," she admitted, pulling her hand away from his. "Had I not been of royal blood; had you not been a servant, nor a knight to my father," she smiled softly, submerging her hands back into the warm water. "Sometimes I wish that you had never taken that oath; I wish that you had never sworn loyalty to my father, that you had never taken on the task of becoming my personal guard. I would have gladly allowed myself to fall in love with you, Beriadan, if our situations were much different from what reality has given us."

Beriadan's gaze fell to the floor, unable to provide the princess with an adequate response to her confession. He rose to his feet slowly and walked to the door. "I'm sorry, Anira. I am nothing more than a mere knight who serves their master. Do not love me, for I can grant you nothing in return." His hand tightly clutched the handle of the door, before he forcefully opened it. "I will keep guard outside, to provide you with some privacy, my Lady."

Anira sighed and watched as Beriadan loudly shut the door behind him. She wanted nothing more than the company of a friend; she hadn't meant to confess such strong emotions. She submerged herself completely into the water, wishing to wash away her troubles and half praying that she would finally succumb to the death that would inevitably claim her. A princess without a kingdom was no princess at all. With no people to protect, what would her purpose be? Why did Anira's frail body continue to exist, despite her wishes to finally quit?

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for no Loki! I felt it was important to focus on the mindset of Anira for a bit, but Loki will be heavily featured in the next chapter, so don't worry! And I also apologize for the short length of this chapter, I probably could have expanded a bit more and explored the dynamic between Anira and Beriadan, but this isn't what you're here to read, nor would it be a very exciting chapter, since all she does is sit in a bathtub. The next chapters are a bit longer, and more relevant as to what you are all here to read! I'll probably be exploring the relationship between Anira and her guard in later chapters, but for now, what I have revealed is relevant enough.

In other news, I moved out of the house and into my college dorm this past weekend. I am officially a college student now, yay! I live with two roommates (one moves in this Saturday) and share a bathroom with two suitemates (who also have yet to move in), so my privacy has officially been taken away from me. Currently, I have seven chapters typed up, if I remember correctly, and I'm working on chapter eight right now. There may be delays after I publish those chapters, due to college life. I have yet to find a spot where I can work on my creative ventures without the distraction of my roommate blasting music and talking on the phone and bringing friends over. Don't misunderstand me though, my roommate is really wonderful and I do enjoy her! I'll also mention that I am in a quarter system, which means my classes will only last for ten weeks and they have a tendency to fly by; so I'll need to make sure that I am keeping up with the workload.

Other than that, thank you for reading and feel free to comment, subscribe, favorite, or send me a private message! I'd love to hear your input and I'd enjoy communicating with my readers.

And if you enjoy this story and you enjoy tumblr, you should go check out mine (link is located in my profile page). Right now it is a bit bare, but when this story picks up a bit more I will be publishing exclusive content on there, such as scenes that didn't make the official cut or were dramatically edited.

**Published: Thursday, 5 September 2013**

**Word Count: 969**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Loki, Thor, or any other Marvel characters mentioned. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, own Anira and any other OC characters that are mentioned. I also do own this particular plot line. Any resemblance to other work is entirely coincidental and is not plagiarism. I will also note that all of the Elvish names and words are taken from the Elvish languages that Tolkien created.

**Chapter Four**

Loki quietly marched down the palace hallways, annoyance beginning to boil within him. It had been three days since he had spoken to the young princess, and her guards were as determined as ever to prevent him from speaking with her again. It came as a small comfort that the guards prevented everyone from approaching the Princess Anira, and did not solely have a strong distaste towards the presence of the dark-haired prince.

She was never seen without all seven of her guards; they followed her everywhere, intimidating those who were around and threatening those that approached. It was infuriating, and a bit off-putting, to say the least. The elf princess was already living within the safety of the palace walls, how could she possibly require the amount of security that she has? It was almost an insult to the realm of Asgard.

He only wanted to speak with her, to dissolve a bit of the mystery surrounding the maiden. Loki had noted that physically seeing the young maiden was already a difficult task. Her face was constantly concealed by a veil or hood, and her tiny, frail physique was easily hidden behind the tall stature of her ever present guards. Not even his father had dared to approach the princess, opting instead to converse with her guards about their situation.

Rounding the corner, Loki was a bit more than surprised to discover the elf maiden walking briskly down the hall, alone. Her head was uncovered and her untamed, soaking wet hair was dripping water onto her neck and torso; a trail of water followed her where it had dripped onto the floor instead. She wore a sheer, light blue dress that would leave little to the imagination if her hair continued its mission to soak her clothing.

"Princess Anira," he called, startling the young woman. She stopped briefly to glance behind her, before continuing her hurried dash down the halls. "Wait!" Loki commanded, chasing after her.

The elf princess ignored his request and continued her hurried trek down the corridors of the palace; the Asgardian prince was quick to follow at her heels. He had to admit, for such a fragile body, the woman was deceiving agile. She rounded corners quickly and fearlessly darted into hallways that were easily missed to the untrained eye.

Annoyed with the chase, Loki teleported himself in front of the woman's path, effectively startling and stopping her. "I mean you no harm, my Lady," he stated calmly as he cautiously approached her. With every step he took towards her, she responded by taking two steps back. "I mean only to converse."

"You are the Prince Loki, are you not?" she questioned.

"I am."

Princess Anira glanced at the tall man before her and respectfully bowed her head. "It is an honor, my Prince, to be in your presence. Please forgive my inappropriate behavior."

"Where are your guards?" Loki questioned. "This is the first time I have seen you without them in tow."

"I left them back at my quarters," Anira mumbled quietly, a very faint blush tinted her otherwise sickly pale complexion.

"You left them?" Loki quirked an eyebrow and stepped closer to the princess. "Won't they be concerned once they realize their majesty is missing?"

The princess sighed and glanced at the floor beneath her bare feet. "I simply wanted to explore the castle without being suffocated. I was a bit curious, you see." Her wet hair shifted to reveal her slightly pointed ears; smaller and rounder than the typical light elf, yet too pointed to be that of an Asgardian or human.

_Curious indeed_, Loki noted.

"I apologize, you must have begun to suspect that I was nothing more than a paranoid princess who constantly requires the protection of her guards."

"I assumed that they were very thorough and strict about their job."

The elf princess released a small laugh. "They are quite dedicated to their assigned duty, my Lord. Even back in Alfheim, they were always present; breathing down my neck and concealing me from others."

"Why is that, my Lady?"

"My father does not believe me to be strong, you see. My physique is quite frail, but he forgets that my mind makes up for my body." Anira gasped and quickly turned away from the prince. "Oh, I should not say such things, especially to you, my Lord. It does no good for me to burden you with my troubles."

"You burden me with nothing, my Lady."

"You are my host, and I am a guest here. I must not be rude to those who provide me with such lovely hospitality."

"You give me far more credit than I deserve, Princess."

"My father taught me to be polite and flatter the hospitality of others."

"Your father has taught you well."

"I fear, however, that your brother, Thor, does not take well to my presence."

Loki's posture deflated slightly. Of course the woman was interested in his brother; all women were interested in the beloved Prince Thor; the favored Prince, the golden boy. "Has Thor disrespected you, my Lady?"

Anira turned to answer the dark-haired prince. "He has only acknowledged my existence twice, and both times were full of angry demands on his part. I do not wish to insult your brother, my Lord, nor do I wish to taint the House of Odin with my presence."

"My Lady, you taint nothing in the palace. Thor is very opinionated and thinks little of the potential consequences for his actions. I apologize on behalf of my brother." Loki kneeled before the woman and bowed his head.

"No," the woman rushed forward and kneeled to be level with the prince. "I do not mean to turn your brother into a villain. His actions are justified, I assure you."

"He must still learn to respect others."

The elf princess chuckled quietly. "My guards did draw their weapons on you."

Loki glanced at Anira and noticed that her hair was still dripping water all over the floor. "If I may inquire, why are you so wet, my Lady?"

Anira blushed and nervously smoothed down the sides of her dress. "Honestly, I was bathing and seized the opportunity of the open window as a means of escape."

"You did not think to, perhaps, dry yourself off first?"

"It was a time sensitive plan."

"Princess Anira," a distance voice echoed through the corridors.

"Oh, it appears that my missing presence has been noticed."

"I suppose you have run out of time, my Lady." Loki smirked and held out his hand, helping Anira back up onto her feet.

"I would like to converse with you once more, Prince Loki, if you would accept my company."

"Of course, my Lady."

Anira smiled softly and excited the corridor.

* * *

**A/N: **Yay for actually having Loki in a chapter for a Loki fanfiction. Hopefully this makes up for the lack of Loki in the update last week, yeah?

In other news, I do not completely understand the abilities that Loki does and does not have. I did my research, but everything appears to vary from place to place. Is he able to teleport? I honestly have no idea; I'm not entirely sure if he has the ability to teleport, or if everything is simply an illusion, either way it's not a huge deal.

I know the story has been a bit slow so far, and I apologize for that. Things will be picking up soon, I can promise you that. I'm in the process of writing chapter eight right now (I've been having issues with it for awhile now), but that will be the chapter where things will begin to pick up a lot more. Will the romance be rushed? Just a tad, but if everything works out the way I want it to, it should still be realistic. The events of the story take place within the time span of two to four weeks; a bit short, I know. The length of the story will be potentially around twenty chapters. Although, I have a planned sequel if all goes well, which will be much longer.

Anyways! Remember to favorite, subscribe, and/or comment. I would love to hear your feedback. You are also welcome to send me a message, I would love to talk to you all. I have an official tumblr, if you would like to follow it (link posted on my fanfiction profile page). There is not much content right now, but soon I will be releasing exclusive content such as deleted scenes and original drafts that were heavily edited. I will also be releasing the official face of Anira within the next few days, so make sure to check that out if you're curious.

Hope you stay tuned for the next update!

**Published: Thursday, 12 September 2013**

**Word Count: 1,131**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Loki, Thor, or any other Marvel characters mentioned. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, own Anira and any other OC characters that are mentioned. I also do own this particular plot line. Any resemblance to other work is entirely coincidental and is not plagiarism. I will also note that all of the Elvish names and words are taken from the Elvish languages that Tolkien created.

**Chapter Five**

"Tell me, Megildur, why does my father not seek aid while the Dark Elves destroy our home?"

The guard's long, pointed ears twitched as he gave the princess a quick glance. "King Suiadan does not wish to burden the other realms."

"Our people are being slaughtered; would you not be desperate for aid?" Anira glanced at the knight standing beside her. A veil slightly obstructed her view of the man, but she could still notice the uncomfortable expression that he held.

"I am in no position to question the orders of your father, my Lady."

"Father is not here, Megildur. I give you permission to express your thoughts freely."

"My Lady, it would be unwise of me to express what thoughts linger within me."

"What do you believe, Sadron?" The elf maiden's gaze shifted to the guard that stood stiffly to her left. "Do you believe my father makes wise decisions?"

"I will follow whatever your father commands, my Lady." The guard mumbled.

"Is that not blind obedience?"

"I have sworn an oath of obedience to your father, my Lady."

"But you don't agree with his decisions, do you, Sadron?"

The guard glanced down at the princess, hesitation evident on his face. "I will admit, my Lady, that there are orders I have not agreed with, but I trust your father."

"Princess Anira, I hardly think this topic appropriate for a ball," Beriadan interrupted, much to Sadron's relief.

"This is an event of socialization, Beriadan." Anira replied, annoyance laced in her tone.

"With the citizens, my Lady, not with your guards."

The elf princess gave her friend an incredulous look before turning her attention to the other six guards protecting her. "And how, may I ask, do you expect me to socialize when I have seven armed men surrounding me constantly?"

"They may speak to you through me."

"That's hardly socializing, Beriadan. I shouldn't require usage of a messenger in order to speak with someone who is in the room."

"I am unsure as to what you would like, my Lady."

"I would like a bit of space, Beriadan. You and your men intimidate everyone away from me." The princess fiddled with her pale, golden dress. "A bit of space for one evening wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience for you, would it?"

Beriadan sighed and commanded the other guards to back up, providing the princess with the freedom she had been craving.

"Ah, it appears that the overprotected princess has finally be allowed room to breathe." Thor observed, before taking a large sip of his drink.

"Perhaps Loki can now speak with the princess without getting swords drawn at him," Fandral pipped in.

Loki glared at the womanizer. "If I remember correctly, they did not respond well to your presence either."

"At least they did not point their swords at me."

"Stop bickering, you two," Sif scolded. "You will draw unwanted attention to yourselves."

Fandral sipped his drink and studied the elf princess again. "Why do you suppose she wears the veil?" he questioned.

"Have you seen her face, Fandral? The poor woman looks starved." Volstagg commented.

"Do not be rude, Volstagg." Sif reprimanded. "She is obviously of ill health; the princess probably feels insecure about her appearance."

"I am just saying the woman could use a bite or two. I do not believe that anyone has even seen her eat."

"I am sure she believes that you could lay off a bite or two," Sif replied, gaining a laugh from Thor.

"Now, Friends, let us not bicker," Thor stated, slinging his arms around the necks of Fandral and Volstagg. "Balls are a joyous occasion, are they not? There is food, there is booze, and there are plenty of women to speak to! One must not be such a grouch at such a fine event."

"Speaking of women," Fandral locked eyes with a young brunette maiden, who was giggling with her two friends. "I see a fine woman begging for my company." With that said, Fandral thrust Thor's arm off of him and casually strolled towards the still giggling brunette.

"And I am off to charm the lovely princess," Thor stated as he straightened his posture in confidence.

"You are?" Loki questioned.

"I cannot allow a young maiden to sit by herself silently at a ball, can I, Brother?"

"I do not believe she has a positive impression of you, Thor."

The blond prince quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, really, Brother? What would cause you to believe that?"

"You have not respectfully greeted her, Thor. Every time you acknowledge her, you have done so by yelling and demanding answers from her guards. I hardly think that is appropriate treatment for a young maiden worthy of high regard."

Thor blinked and gazed at the elf princess, who was idly fiddling with her dress. "You are correct, Brother," he snapped his attention back to Loki before releasing a warm smile. "Therefore, I must change her impression of me." Without another word, Thor was off on his way to charm the young elf.

Loki glared at the retreating form of his brother, hoping against hope that the princess would ignore the advances of the blond prince. Fate was not on his side, however, for Thor was quick to engage the young maiden in conversation. He watched his brother nonchalantly shove the guards out of his way as he casually sat down in a chair next to the woman.

"Loki, my son," Frigga linked her arms with the prince and gently stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. She frowned as she noticed the grim expression on Loki's face, and squeezed his arm as a form of reassurance. "What troubles you, my child?"

Loki smiled at his mother and placed a his hand over her own. "Do not worry, Mother. I assure you, I am fine."

"A mother always worries for their child, Loki."

Anira could not believe that the blond prince was so talkative. She had barely gotten three words out of her mouth before Thor had invited himself to sit alongside the elf maiden; telling her stories she would not remember in the morning. The elf continued to fiddle with her dress; her obvious boredom plagued the air around her, although the prince seemed to be oblivious, as he continued to brag about a recent battle he had engaged in; where and with who, Anira cared little about.

Unable to send the prince away without insulting him, Anira continued to humor him with her company. His constant chattering had allowed Anira to ignore his stories without being called out for it. Truthfully, the elf longed to be in the company of the other prince, Loki. He appeared to be the more intelligent brother, relying on well-performed tricks and his gift of a silver-tongue, rather than brute strength.

"Do I bore you, my Lady?" Thor questioned, his smile immediately fading from his face.

Surprised that her boredom had been noticed, Anira blinked sheepishly and struggled to speak. "No, Prince Thor, I must apologize for my behavior. A ball is quite exhausting, is it not?" The princess stood from her chair and once again addressed the prince. "I believe that I shall retire in my quarters. It is late, and I do enjoy being well rested."

Thor stood up as well. "But you have yet to dance, my Lady."

"I am sorry to disappoint you, my Lord, but I am not one for dancing."

"Nonsense! Everybody enjoys dancing. Come, let us grace the floor with your presence." Thor placed his hand on the small of her back and began to lead her towards the dancing couples, ignoring her protests and pleas to leave.

"I must insist that you find another dance partner, Prince Thor." Anira desperately tried to scrape together an excuse. "I am cursed with inability to dance with grace and poise."

"I am certain you will prove me wrong, Princess." Thor cast a charming smile and held out his left hand for her to take. Anira hesitated, but placed her hand above his, allowing the prince to spin her once before leading her to the center of the dance floor. "Elves are known for their grace, are they not?"

"We may be deemed as elegant creatures, but grace is not my forte."

"What is your forte, my Lady?" Thor placed his hands on the maiden's waist and effortlessly lifted her into the air; spinning once before setting her back down on her feet.

"I would not want to boast, my Lord." Anira missed a step and stumbled slightly, but carried on as if nothing had happened.

"Answering a question is not boasting, Princess." Thor spun Anira again.

"Would you mind if I cut in?" A silky voice interrupted the couple, causing Thor to release his hold on the maiden's hand. Loki was standing next to his brother, hand held out towards her and a charming smile plastered onto his face.

Anira smiled at the dark-haired prince before shifting an uncomfortable gaze at his brother. "It would be rude of me to leave my current partner, Prince Loki. Your brother just succeeded in persuading me to join the dance floor."

"Do not deny my brother on my account, Princess." Thor slammed a hand on Loki's back and smiled at the maiden. "Enjoy your dance." Briskly, Thor walked off the dance floor.

Anira refocused her attention to the hand held out before her and placed her own on top. "I suppose we dance then," she stated.

Loki spun the princess once, quickly examining her as he did so. Her golden dress was of Asgardian make, having been crafted and tailored to her body the day before. It accentuated her tiny waist, which had always been hidden by her rather loose clothing. Her long hair had been pulled up into a large bun, and a golden veil was draped over her head, covering her face. "You look lovely tonight, Princess," he commented casually.

The young maiden blushed. "Thank you, my Lord."

Loki smiled. "You appeared to be uncomfortable in the company of my brother; I thought that perhaps I should come to your rescue."

"Imagine my surprise when your brother was quite adamant to be in my company."

"It is hard to not be charmed by the beauty of a young maiden, especially one who is of elven heritage."

"Do I charm you, Prince Loki?" Anira twisted her left wrist near Loki's right cheek, which he quickly grabbed to spin the young maiden.

"More than anything, you intrigue me," he replied.

"Do I?"

"A young princess surrounded my guards and a face that is rarely seen, for it is constantly covered by a veil. It makes one wonder if the princess hides a secret."

"Does the God of Mischief not have his own secrets?" Anira questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Loki smirked. "What does my Lady hide beneath the guards and veils?"

Anira trailed her hand down the right arm of the prince; she grabbed a hold of his hand and ducked under his arm. "What does my Lord hide beneath his magic tricks?"

Loki grasped Anira's free hand in his own and continued their waltz. "More tricks."

"They do say that you are quite the trickster. A silver-tongued liar who performed many, many pranks as a child."

"You seem well informed, my Lady."

"Were you expecting me to know nothing of the world outside of the walls of my palace in Alfheim?"

"I did not expect you to know much detail about me." Loki raised their hands above their heads. Anira turned slowly as Loki lowered their arms, her back pressed against his chest.

"There is not much to do when one is trapped inside of an isolated palace."

"Am I an object of your curiosity?"

Anira chuckled and pivoted to face the prince. "No, you were a name whispered throughout the realm."

"A whispered name?"

"You and your brother do little to conceal your triumphs in battle."

Their hands and arms were intermingling, weaving, twisting, as if they were having a conversation of their own. They moved naturally and in unison with one another. The traditional Asgardian waltz was almost mindless dancing to them both; neither party was concerned with missing a step. The other partygoers had taken note of the couple. They whispered speculations amongst one another and admired the beauty of their dancing.

"For a girl 'cursed with the inability to dance with grace and poise,' you are doing quite well." Loki commented, twirling the girl.

Anira glanced into the eyes of the man smirking down at her. "My Lord, were you eavesdropping on my conversation with your brother?"

"I may have heard a comment or two," the prince replied casually.

"It hardly seems polite listen to a private conversation that is not yours."

"If you wanted a private conversation, my Lady, you would have gone elsewhere. Any, and all, gossip spreads quickly in an occasion so crowded with people."

Anira glanced around her, finally taking notice of the whispers and watchful stares. "It appears that we are creating quite the story, my Prince."

Loki glanced around as well, twirling the young princess as he did so. "It appears you are right, my Lady." He stopped their waltzing and slowly placed a soft kiss on her right hand. "You must forgive me, but I believe that now would be an appropriate time to bid you farewell. It is late, and you must rest. Goodnight, Princess Anira." Loki smiled at the woman before he turned and disappeared into the crowd of gossiping women.

* * *

**A/N: **And that is chapter five! Hopefully you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have said it before, but I will say it again, Loki most likely isn't completely in character, but I wanted to explore his personality before the events of "Thor" (or at least the personality that I imagine him to have). The story will be picking up soon, I assure you. Oh, and I kind of made Volstagg sound like an asshole. I really didn't mean to and I apologize. I just do not have any concept of his character at all, but he probably won't be featured that much anyways. Anyways, remember to leave some input! Comments and subscriptions really do motivate me to keep writing. It is nice to know how others feel about your work and your critiques help me improve as a writer. If you want to check out some extra content, you should go visit my tumblr (link on my profile). It's a bit empty right now, but a deleted scene will be posted soon.

The dance between Anira and Loki was inspired by the dance in the movie "Anna Karenina." It was such a beautifully choreographed dance and it was a huge inspiration for how I imagined the interaction between Loki and Anira during their conversation. Also, the movie stars Keira Knightley, one of my favorite actresses, and the official face of Anira.

In other news, college is a lot more exciting than I thought it was going to be; I've actually been doing things besides sitting in my room and browsing the Internet or typing away on my computer. Unfortunately, that also means that I haven't been writing very much. I've been on a writer's block for a while now, not because I don't know what to write, but because I don't know how to phrase it. Also, there's always people in my dorm room (for example, some guy is chilling in our room right now, talking to my roommate and blasting our TV, awesome). Actually, now that I think about, all boys seem to love my roommates. Meanwhile, I'm living the single life and never attracting the attention of any males whatsoever.

But that's beside the point; all of these distractions means that I haven't been able to write, which sucks, a lot. I'm working on chapter eight right now, which I've been working on for the past three weeks. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it before I publish chapter seven. Anyways, realistically, you can probably start to expect slower updates after chapter seven gets published. Sitting down to write is a lot more difficult than I anticipated it to be. I'm literally always doing something, whether it be homework or hanging out, there is always something here to prevent me from writing. I haven't even been online for more than an hour each day; it's ridiculous.

In other news, I'm thinking about potentially writing a John Blake story (character from "The Dark Knight Rises"). I've always been a huge Batman fan, but always found it hard to write a story where Bruce Wayne was the love interest. I have wanted to write a John Blake story for awhile. I don't have an OC developed in my head yet, but once I overcome that hurtle the rest should fall into place. The story would definitely take place during the events of the movie, but it won't be a story where the character is conveniently placed in every single scene of the movie. Would anybody be interested in reading this story if I ever wrote it? Because if nobody is interested, than I'll just continue to focus on this story and only on this story until I finish it.

**Published: Thursday, 19 September 2013**

**Word Count: 2,267**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Loki, Thor, or any other Marvel characters mentioned. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, own Anira and any other OC characters that are mentioned. I also do own this particular plot line. Any resemblance to other work is entirely coincidental and is not plagiarism. I will also note that all of the Elvish names and words are taken from the Elvish languages that Tolkien created.

**Chapter Six**

The light breeze tousled Anira's veil as she lay on the stone bench, enjoying the warmth the sunlight provided her with. She was tired of being cooped up in confines of the castle walls, but Beriadan insisted that it would be safer for her not to wonder outside of the palace. _"We don't know if there are any Dark Elf spies roaming about,"_ he had stated. Anira had scoffed, arguing that the spies could already be inside the castle. A stern glare from Beriadan had silenced her, leading her to begrudgingly settle on a bench near a window as her means to getting outside.

The skies were a stunning mix of blues, purples, and golds. Distant moons and stars twinkled brightly, hoping to outshine one another. Anira could hear the chirping of birds as they playfully soared through the skies and could distinguish the faint sound of a horse galloping. The scenery of Asgard was breathtaking, and the princess wanted to do nothing more than admire its beauty for hours.

For the past hour, Loki had watched as the woman lay on the bench. He sat farther down the corridor, a book held, but ignored, between his hands. He noted that only two guards were present with her today, providing him with the most opportune chance to speak with her; yet, he did nothing more than watch her from a distance.

The woman appeared to be completely captivated by the landscape she examined so thoroughly. Her eyes never once strayed from the view before her, nor did she acknowledge the dutiful guards who stood watching her. Loki could not figure out exactly why the woman intrigued him so much. She was an enigma he wanted to make sense of; a puzzle he was determined to solve.

During the past week, Loki had noted that the princess had a tendency to avoid socializing with anyone, aside from her guards, if she could. She would never initiate conversation, and would speak only when spoken to. Her quiet, polite nature perplexed him, almost to the point where it was unbearable. He was quite accustomed to monarchs that held clear, definite authority and those that were simply carefree and cocky, but never before had he come across one that was so silent and refined. She walked in a regal manner and showed respect as if she were a servant; the woman was exceedingly well-behaved, yet there were times where she would loosen the chains that restrained the free-spirit buried deep within her.

Loki could only assume that this behavior was heavily imposed onto her as she grew up. Starting at a young age, the maiden must have been trained to act courteously and was scolded when she misbehaved. He had heard rumors of the grace and elegance of the Light Elves, and had been informed that they took great pride in proper etiquette, but he had never believed this information until the elf maiden had shown up.

A rather strong gust of wind shifted her periwinkle dress, revealing a peak of her long, slender legs through a slit on the side. The guards shifted uncomfortably as they deliberately avoided staring at the woman's newly exposed skin, although Loki did notice the guards could not resist the urge to discretely sneak in a glimpse or two. Princess Anira, however, did not appear to notice her exposed legs or the peaking guards; her gaze was focused instead on a large dark blue and black butterfly that had settled on the palm of her outstretched hand. Its wings fluttered once, twice, before it flew from her hand and fluttered its way down the corridor.

Anira slowly sat up on her bench, attentively following the butterfly's trail, before her eyes focused onto Loki. She shifted her attention to a nearby guard and lifted her hand; the guard quickly helped Anira onto her feet before returning to his position. The maiden turned her head to look at the watchful prince and cast a small smile at him before she turned to walk down the corridor, away from him.

Loki was quick to jump to his feet. _No. _He did not want the maiden to leave; he was content watching her as she looked over Asgard. An aura of peace had settled over the young woman as she was laying, and that peace had spread to Loki. He wanted the sensation to last, but the retreating elf was taking the peace away with her. Slamming his previously ignored book shut, he followed the woman down the corridor.

"Wait," the young prince blurted out before he could make sense of his actions.

Anira turned to acknowledge the man. "Yes, my Lord?" she questioned.

Loki was stumped; he was not sure why he chased after her, nor did he understand why he did not want her to leave. Quick to compose himself, he straightened his posture and allowed a smile to grace his face. "I could not help but notice your interest in the scenery of Asgard."

Anira blushed faintly and glanced back at the open window. "I must admit, my Lord, that it is quite beautiful here."

"Comparable to Alfheim?"

"It is beautiful here, yes, but nothing is more relaxing than the comfort of being in one's own home." The elf princess frowned. "Although, I suppose that soon I will have no home to return to."

Loki's smile faded. This was not the type of discussion he counted on having with the maiden. He did not want her upset; he wanted her peaceful. "I am certain that one day you can return home, my Lady."

"It is not whether or not I will be able to return to Alfheim that concerns me, my Lord."

"Then what is it that concerns you?"

"When, and if, I am able to return home, where will I go? The towns will be deserted, and the palace abandoned. Everything will be in ruins. I cannot save my people from the wrath of the Dark Elves." The princess walked to the window and fiddled anxiously with her hands. "My people have been ordered to leave their homes and evacuate. They must leave behind aspects of their existence that were once a comfort to them. The woods they once explored; the meadows they would run through as children. The little things define a person's life, and in an instant they are forced to leave behind everything that identifies them. Those woods and those meadows may be destroyed, and will never contain the memories it once possessed. I can do nothing more than pray that my people will be able to reach safety before it is too late."

"Where will your people go?"

"_Imrathion nin Calanon_, the Valley of the Light. It is our sacred land, a place where only purest and truest of Light Elves can enter. That is where my people go, and that is where they shall remain until it is safe to return home."

"Why do you not go with them, my Lady? I would have assumed that as the first place your father would send you for safety."

Anira laughed. "I cannot enter _Imrathion nin Calanon_, my Lord."

Loki was confused. "I do not understand, my Lady. Are you confessing a tainted soul?"

"In the most general sense of the word, one could say that I am not of pure blood, nor form. I will never be a real Princess of Alfheim, nor will I ever be a true Light Elf." Anira sat down on the stone bench and smoothed down her dress before smiling at Loki. "My heritage and my decisions do not harm me, however. I am content with myself. I have grown much over the years and I gain more knowledge with every passing moment."

Loki sat down beside the woman, noting that her hands were trembling and her gaze was focused on the stone marble of the floor. He could see the sadness that was stitched into the very core of the woman, haunting her and slowly, very slowly, eating away her happiness. "Tell me about Alfheim," he finally said, relieving the tense silence that had formed between them.

"It's stunning, breathtaking." The maiden smiled. "The height of the trees rival that of the palace and their leaves are the deepest of greens when the weather begins to warm, and the most beautiful shade of red when the temperature begins to cool. The rivers are divine, clear and refreshing; the grass is soft, luxurious even. Walking on the grasses of Alfheim are as if one is walking on the clouds. Small blue, purple, and pink flowers grow everywhere and anywhere they can squeeze in. As a child, I used to pick them whenever they grew through the cracks in the palace stairs. I would weave them into a crown and that either I would wear or give to my father. Sometimes, if there was an abundance, I would even make a crown or two for the guards assigned to protect me." Anira laughed openly. "I was a mindless child."

"You think you were mindless? You should have seen Thor and myself as children."

"Ah, yes, the Trickster Loki. I bet you were quite a handful growing up."

Loki smirked. "I do not think we ever stopped being a handful."

Anira glanced at Loki. "Oh?"

"Even as an adult, my brother seems determined to seek trouble."

"Thor and Loki, the brother Princes of Asgard, the troublemakers of all realms."

Loki chuckled. "What was your palace like at Alfheim? I remember at the ball, you mentioned that you were quite isolated there."

"The palace was away from the people. The walls were made of the whitest marble and riddled with cracks. My father would never fix the cracks, unless it was necessary. He insisted that every crack brought character to the palace. Vines overwhelmed the walls and columns, but we did little to stop them. At first glance, one would think the palace lay abandoned, but we loved the rustic manner. We felt closer to nature, and appreciated the beauty of our aging home."

"How did your father maintain power over the people if you lived so far away?" Loki questioned.

"We may be a monarchy, but we do not intimidate our people into submission." Anira replied. "They respected us, and we respected them. One does not have to strongly enforce their power in order to be a leader, they need only to lead the people."

"There were no rebellions? No attempts to overtake the throne?"

"A good leader listens to the people. A great leader will acknowledge the problems the people face and resolve their issues to the best of their ability. My father is a great leader, my Lord, and has earned the respect of his people."

"In that case, my Lady, your father has my respect as well."

* * *

**A/N: **Oops! Sorry for being a day late. I was quite ill yesterday and it completely slipped my mind to post the next chapter. Anyways, thank you for reading and please leave some feedback, it really helps when I know how readers feel and to learn what they want. I don't want to be one of those writers that beg for reviews, but when I don't receive any feedback on a chapter, it is a bit disheartening.

Go follow my tumblr (link on my profile) if you haven't! There will be some bonus content being released soon that will only be available there.

Also, I only have one more chapter written up as of right now, which means that after next week, updates will be much slower. I plan on having a nice, quiet weekend in my dorm, both my roommates are leaving for the weekend, so I will hopefully be able to sit down and focus on my writing for a couple days.

**Published: Friday, 27 September 2013**

**Word Count 1,811**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Loki, Thor, or any other Marvel characters mentioned. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, own Anira and any other OC characters that are mentioned. I also do own this particular plot line. Any resemblance to other work is entirely coincidental and is not plagiarism. I will also note that all of the Elvish names and words are taken from the Elvish languages that Tolkien created.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_A child's laugh interrupted the quiet of the palace halls. Light, rapid footsteps resonated down the corridor as the elf child ran. Her tiny hands were held together, carefully trapping the small object hidden between them. She smiled widely at the guards she ran past, an aura of excitement clouding around her._

_Skipping through the open doors of the throne room, the child ran to her father, ignoring the guests he was speaking to. "Father!" she squealed. "Look at what I have captured!"_

_The man smiled down at the girl and gently ran his fingers through her waist-length dark auburn hair. "My child, now is not the time. We have guests."_

_The girl's smile faltered slightly. "Do you not want to see what I have found, Father?"_

_"Anira, my child, the Ice Elves have traveled a great distance to come see me." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Remember, we must be polite to our guests."_

_Anira glanced to her left and blinked in surprise. Before her stood three men; they were quite tall, with long pointed ears and straight, dark hair flowing down to their abdomen. Cozy, fur coats and stone jewelry adorned their bodies. They were nearly identical in stature to that of a Light Elf, except their skin was a deep shade of cerulean blue. Never before had Anira seen another race; she was curious and vaguely frightened by the men who stood before her, amused grins on their faces._

_"Oh, come now, King Suiadan, I am curious as to what the young maiden beholds in her hand," one of the Ice Elves stated._

_"Father?" Anira questioned, hoping to be granted permission to share the origin of her excitement._

_King Suiadan smiled and tucked a strand of Anira's hair behind her ear. "Go ahead, Child, show us what you have found."_

_The elf child smiled and slowly unclasped her hands to reveal a small blue butterfly resting in the palm of her hand. "I found a pretty butterfly!" the child exclaimed._

_"What a beautiful thing indeed," the King stated._

_"The wings match the color of your guests, Father!"_

_The Ice Elves and the King chuckled softly, savoring the innocence consuming the child. King Suiadan kneeled before his daughter and reached for the butterfly. Defensive, Anira clasped her hands shut and stepped away from her father._

_"No, Father, please don't take it away!" the child pleaded._

_"Anira," the King frowned. "Do not behave in such an impolite manner. You must be on your best mannerisms when guests are present."_

_"I apologize, Father."_

_King Suiadan gently grabbed a hold of his daughter's hands and carefully pried her hands apart. The blue butterfly meekly fluttered its wings. "You must let the creature go, Anira."_

_Anira squinted her eyes in confusion and pouted slightly. "Why? I found it; I caught it!"_

_"Would you like to be trapped, Anira?"_

_"No."_

_"Do you deserve to be trapped, Anira?"_

_"No."_

_"Does the butterfly deserve to be trapped, Anira?"_

_The child hesitated before she answered, "No."_

_"Then you must grant it the freedom that it deserves."_

_"But I worked so hard to catch it," the girl whined._

_"Your determination makes me proud," the King complimented. Slowly, he coaxed the butterfly into his own palm. "Determination is a worthy trait, my daughter."_

_"I do not want to let it go, Father."_

_The King walked to an open window, allowing the butterfly to flutter away. "The butterfly is a free spirit, my darling, and you must not take away its freedom." The elf walked back to his daughter and gently grasped her face as he kneeled down to her level. "One day, you will take my place on the throne. You will rule the Light Elves; you will be a Queen of Alfheim. As a monarch, you will set the example, Anira. You will be the most influential figure in this realm. You will have the power to do as you please and make the decisions, but you cannot abuse this power. Do not take away the freedoms of others for your own selfish gain. Do you understand me, Anira?"_

_"Yes, Father," the child hung her head in guilt and embarrassment. She had wanted to please her father, not receive a lecture._

_King Suiadan smiled. "Do not frown, Anira."_

_"I do not know if I can rule a country, Father," Anira mumbled._

_"You are worthy of being a queen, and you will do a fine job."_

_"What if I am not a great queen, Father? What if no one listens to me?"_

_"A ruler does not force their people to listen to them. A good ruler listens to their people, but a great ruler will acknowledge the problems their people face and will do whatever they can to resolve those issues. Power is not leadership; leaders are born when they earn the respect of others."_

_Anira smiled and hugged her father. "I want to be like you, Father!" she exclaimed._

_The King chuckled and wrapped his own arms tightly around her tiny frame. "Run along now, I have some business to finish with the Ice Elves."_

_"Yes, Father!" The child pulled herself from her father's arms and quickly excited through the door she had entered._

Anira's slowly lifted her eyelids, exposing her dull blue eyes to the sight of the white marble ceiling above her. She missed her father; she missed her home. She missed the cracks in the palace walls and the soft grass beneath her feet as she wondered through the private gardens. The maiden longed for the gentle breezes that played with her hair and for the comforting noise of the nearby stream.

A tear leaked from Anira's eye and landed on the pillow she was resting on. The reality of current events finally dawned upon her; her life would never be the same. The palace would be destroyed, the trees burned or chopped down. Her sanctuary of gardens would be carelessly trudged through and the waters would be tainted. The Light Elves would no longer know of peace; they would know of fear and death.

"I am so sorry, Father," the elf maiden whispered.

* * *

**A/N:** I am so terribly sorry for the delay in updates. It's been nearly a month and a half and that is completely unacceptable. I have had this chapter written as of two months ago, but I never got around to editing and publishing it. College life has been extremely busy, much more so than I anticipated. If I am not studying or doing homework, I am out and about and away from a computer.

Fortunately, I only have two weeks left for this quarter and then I am back home for six weeks for the holidays. You know what that means? I will finally have time to sit down and write!

I know the story has been a bit slow-paced so far, and all of the Loki/Anira interaction might be a tad repetitive, but do not fret! The plot is about to pick up! Again, I apologize for the delayed update and also for a somewhat pathetic chapter. There will be Loki in the next chapter to make up for it!

Thank you for reading! Please take the time to leave a review, if you'd like to, and go follow my tumblr and twitter for future updates! (Links provided on my profile.)

**Published: Tuesday, 12 November 2013**

**Word Count: 1,023**


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